CN111002883B

CN111002883B - Seat structure for vehicle

Info

Publication number: CN111002883B
Application number: CN201910752642.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 关塚诚
Original assignee: Toyota Motor Corp
Current assignee: Toyota Motor Corp
Priority date: 2018-10-04
Filing date: 2019-08-15
Publication date: 2022-01-11
Anticipated expiration: 2039-08-15
Also published as: US11447049B2; JP2020055500A; EP3632737B1; CN111002883A; EP3632737A1; US20200108747A1

Abstract

The invention provides a vehicle seat structure, comprising: a vehicle seat having a seat cushion and a seat back; and a pressing device provided at a predetermined height position in the interior of the seat back. The pressing device has a pressing portion that presses a part of a seat front surface of the seat back toward the seat front side when a vehicle collision occurs in which an occupant seated in the vehicle seat moves toward the seat front side.

Description

Seat structure for vehicle

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle seat structure.

Background

Japanese patent laid-open No. 2005-335616 discloses an invention relating to an occupant protection device for a vehicle. The occupant protection device includes a lumbar support that can project a part of a seat front surface, which is a receiving surface for a lumbar portion of an occupant, of a seat back toward a seat front side. The lumbar support can change the amount of projection to the seat front side by the operation amount of the motor connected to the control device. Furthermore, the control device is connected to the collision predicting unit, and operates the lumbar support member in the case where a collision is predicted. In the above structure, the lumbar support is operated in a direction in which the occupant protection performance is improved depending on the collision direction at the time of a vehicle collision, thereby improving the occupant protection performance.

Further, japanese patent application laid-open No. 2016-. In this vehicular occupant protection apparatus, an auxiliary airbag device is incorporated in a rear end portion of a seat cushion of a vehicular seat, and the auxiliary airbag is inflated and deployed toward a seat upper side at the time of a frontal collision (hereinafter, referred to as "head-on collision"). Thus, the upper body of the occupant seated in the vehicle seat rises by the inflated and deployed auxiliary airbag, and therefore the upper body of the occupant is corrected to an appropriate seating posture, and the occupant is restrained well.

Disclosure of Invention

However, in the structure disclosed in japanese patent laid-open No. 2005-335616, since the lumbar support is operated by the motor, the lumbar support cannot be operated instantaneously at the time of a vehicle collision, and the operation is limited to a case where prediction of a collision is made by the collision prediction unit. As a countermeasure for this, as in the structure disclosed in japanese patent application laid-open No. 2016-055705, it is conceivable that the posture of the upper body of the occupant is corrected by an airbag that can be instantaneously activated at the time of a vehicle collision, but if there is no gap for airbag inflation and deployment between the occupant and the seat back, the airbag cannot be inflated and deployed appropriately. In addition, in the event of a frontal collision, it is desirable that the pelvis be in a forward-inclined position and the lap belt of the seatbelt be less likely to separate from the pelvis in order to prevent a so-called slide-down phenomenon in which the occupant is in a position of sinking into the seat cushion of the vehicle seat. However, in the structure disclosed in japanese patent application laid-open No. 2016-055705, the airbag inflates and deploys from the seat cushion toward the seat upper side, and therefore the lower portion of the lumbar region (pelvis) of the occupant seated in the vehicle seat is first pressed toward the seat front side, and it is therefore difficult to bring the pelvis into the forward tilt posture. Therefore, the above-described prior art still has room for improvement in this point.

The present disclosure takes the above facts into consideration, and obtains a vehicle seat structure capable of effectively protecting an occupant at the time of a vehicle collision.

A vehicle seat structure of a first aspect of the present disclosure includes: a vehicle seat having a seat cushion and a seat back; and a pressing device that is provided at a predetermined height position in an interior of the seat back and that has a pressing portion that presses a part of a seat front surface of the seat back toward a seat front side when a vehicle collision occurs in which an occupant seated in the vehicle seat moves toward the seat front side.

According to the first aspect, the vehicle seat structure has the pressing device in the vehicle seat. The pressing device is provided at a predetermined height position in the interior of the seat back. The pressing device presses a portion of the seat front surface of the seat back, that is, a portion of the receiving surface of the lumbar region of the occupant, toward the seat front side in a vehicle collision in which the occupant seated in the vehicle seat moves toward the seat front side (hereinafter, simply referred to as "forward movement collision"). That is, the pressing portion of the pressing device can press the upper portion of the waist portion of the occupant toward the seat front side at the time of a forward movement collision, and therefore the pelvis of the occupant can be tilted forward. Therefore, the lap belt of the seat belt is less likely to be detached from the pelvis, and the occurrence of the slip-down phenomenon can be suppressed.

A vehicle seat structure according to a second aspect of the present disclosure is the first aspect, wherein the pressing device includes the pressing portion that can press a part of the seat front surface of the seat back toward the seat front side in a normal state. The pressing portion presses a part of the seat front surface of the seat back further toward the seat front side than in a normal state via a rod member that is moved toward the seat front side by gas supplied from an inflator that operates at the time of the vehicle collision.

According to the vehicle seat structure of the second aspect, the pressing portion of the pressing device can press the seat front surface of the seatback toward the seat front side in the normal state. Therefore, the pressing device can support the waist of the occupant seated in the vehicle seat in an appropriate seating posture by the pressing portion at the normal time. On the other hand, at the time of a forward movement collision, the pressing portion of the pressing device provided at a predetermined height position presses a part of the seat front surface of the seat back further toward the seat front side than in normal times via the rod member that moves toward the seat front side by gas supplied from the inflator. Therefore, the upper portion of the waist portion of the occupant can be pressed toward the seat front side at the time of a forward movement collision, so that the pelvis of the occupant can be tilted forward and the lap belt of the seatbelt is less likely to be detached from the pelvis. Therefore, the occurrence of the slip-down phenomenon can be suppressed.

A vehicle seat structure according to a third aspect of the present disclosure is the first aspect, wherein the pressing device includes the pressing portion capable of pressing a part of the seat front surface of the seat back toward the seat front side in a normal state, and the pressing portion presses the part of the seat front surface of the seat back toward the seat front side further than in the normal state via an airbag that is inflated and deployed in the seat back by gas supplied from an inflator that operates in a vehicle collision.

According to the vehicle seat structure of the third aspect, the pressing portion of the pressing device can press the seat front surface of the seatback toward the seat front side in the normal state. Therefore, the pressing device can support the waist of the occupant seated in the vehicle seat in an appropriate seating posture by the pressing portion at the normal time. On the other hand, at the time of a forward movement collision, a pressing portion of a pressing device provided at a predetermined height position presses a part of the seat front surface of the seat back further toward the seat front side than usual via an airbag that is inflated and expanded in the seat back by gas supplied from an inflator. Therefore, the upper portion of the waist portion of the occupant can be pressed toward the seat front side at the time of a forward movement collision, so that the pelvis of the occupant can be tilted forward and the lap belt of the seatbelt is less likely to be detached from the pelvis. Therefore, the occurrence of the slip-down phenomenon can be suppressed.

A vehicle seat structure according to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure is the first aspect, wherein the pressing device includes an airbag that is inflated and deployed in the seat back by gas supplied from an inflator that operates at the time of the vehicle collision.

According to the vehicle seat structure of the fourth aspect, the airbag of the pressing device is inflated and deployed in the seat back by being supplied with gas from the inflator that operates at the time of a frontal movement collision. Thus, the inflated and deployed airbag of the pressing device provided at the predetermined height position presses a part of the seat front surface of the seat back toward the seat front side. Therefore, the upper portion of the waist portion of the occupant can be pressed toward the seat front side at the time of a forward movement collision, so that the pelvis of the occupant can be tilted forward and the lap belt of the seatbelt is less likely to be detached from the pelvis, and occurrence of a slip-down phenomenon can be suppressed.

A vehicle seat structure according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure is the fourth aspect, wherein a portion of the seat back, which corresponds to the pressing device in a height position, is provided with a breaking portion that is broken by being pressed by the airbag at the time of inflation and deployment, and the airbag bulges out from the breaking portion toward the seat front side of the seat back at the time of inflation and deployment.

According to the vehicle seat structure of the fifth aspect, the breaking portion is provided at a position corresponding to the pressing device in a height position on the seat front surface of the seat back. The fracture part is cracked by being pressed by the airbag during inflation and deployment. Further, since the airbag is inflated and deployed from the rupture portion toward the seat front side of the seat back, the inflated and deployed airbag directly presses the upper portion of the waist portion of the occupant toward the seat front side. That is, the airbag directly presses the waist portion of the occupant without passing through the seat front surface of the seat back, and therefore the displacement amount (stroke amount) when pressing the waist portion can be increased. Therefore, since the amount of movement of the waist of the occupant during pressing can be increased, the pelvis of the occupant seated in a comfortable state in which the seat back of the vehicle seat is largely reclined can be returned to a state close to the driving posture. That is, the pelvis of the occupant in the comfortable state is moved in the forward tilting direction, and the lap belt of the seatbelt is less likely to be detached from the pelvis, whereby the occurrence of the slip-down phenomenon can be suppressed.

A vehicle seat structure according to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure is the fourth or fifth aspect, wherein the airbag is configured such that a first airbag provided on a seat rear side of a seat spring provided in the seat back and extending in a seat width direction and a second airbag provided on a seat front side of the seat spring are disposed to face each other substantially in a seat front-rear direction before inflation and deployment.

According to the vehicle seat structure of the sixth aspect, the airbag includes the first airbag and the second airbag. The first airbag is disposed on a seat rear side of a seat spring provided in the seat back before inflation and deployment. On the other hand, the second airbag is disposed on the seat front side of the seat spring so as to be opposed to the first airbag substantially in the seat front-rear direction. Therefore, the second airbag is inflated and deployed in a state displaced toward the seat front side via the seat spring by the inflation and deployment of the first airbag, and therefore the displacement amount when the upper portion of the waist portion of the occupant is pressed can be further increased. Therefore, the amount of movement of the waist of the occupant during pressing can be further increased, and the pelvis of the occupant seated in a comfortable state can be returned to a state closer to the driving posture. That is, the pelvis of the occupant in the comfortable state is largely moved in the forward tilting direction, and the lap belt of the seatbelt is less likely to be detached from the pelvis, thereby suppressing the occurrence of the slip-down phenomenon.

The vehicle seat structure of the first aspect has an excellent effect of effectively protecting an occupant during a forward movement collision.

The vehicle seat structures according to the second and third aspects have the excellent effect of appropriately supporting the waist of the occupant at normal times and effectively protecting the occupant at the time of a frontal movement collision.

The vehicle seat structure of the fourth aspect has an excellent effect of being able to effectively protect an occupant during a forward movement collision with a simple structure.

The vehicle seat structures according to the fifth and sixth aspects have an excellent effect of effectively protecting an occupant seated in the vehicle seat in a comfortable state at the time of a forward movement collision.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a framework structure of a vehicle seat having a vehicle seat structure of a first embodiment.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state in which a main portion of the vehicle seat structure of the first embodiment is cut in a horizontal direction.

Fig. 3 is a schematic side view showing an operation state at the time of a forward movement collision of the vehicle seat structure of the first embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a schematic side view showing an operation state at the time of a forward movement collision of the vehicle seat structure of the second embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a schematic side view showing an operation state at the time of a forward movement collision in the vehicle seat structure according to the third embodiment.

Fig. 6 is a schematic side view showing an operation state at the time of a forward movement collision of the vehicle seat structure of the fourth embodiment.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view showing a state of fig. 6 taken along line a-a.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state in a normal state of the vehicle seat structure of the fourth embodiment as viewed from the side of the vehicle.

Fig. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing a relationship between a pad and a seat spring in the vehicle seat structure according to the fourth embodiment.

Detailed Description

(first embodiment)

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a vehicle seat structure according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to fig. 1 to 3. Note that an arrow FR appropriately shown in these drawings indicates a seat front side, an arrow UP indicates a seat upper side, and an arrow OUT indicates a seat width direction outer side. In the present embodiment, the seat front side, the seat width direction outer side, and the seat upper side substantially coincide with the vehicle front side, the vehicle width direction outer side, and the vehicle upper side, respectively.

(Overall Structure)

Fig. 1 shows a skeleton structure of a vehicle seat 12 having a vehicle seat structure 10 of the present embodiment. The vehicle seat 12 has a seat cushion 14 and a seat back 16. The seat cushion 14 is for seating an occupant P (see fig. 3), and is attached to a vehicle floor 18 via a seat rail (not shown). The seat cushion 14 incorporates a seat cushion frame, not shown, as a frame member.

A seat back frame 16A is provided on the seat rear side of the seat cushion frame via a reclining mechanism, not shown. The seatback frame 16A is a frame member of the seatback 16 that supports the lumbar region L of the occupant P seated on the seat cushion 14 from the seat rear side, and is formed in a substantially rectangular frame shape in a vehicle front view. Specifically, the seat back frame 16A includes a pair of left and right side frames 16AA, an upper frame 16AB that couples upper ends of the side frames 16AA to each other in a substantially seat width direction, and a lower frame 16AC that couples lower ends of the side frames 16AA to each other in a substantially seat width direction.

A headrest 20 that supports the head of the occupant P seated in the vehicle seat 12 from the seat rear side is attached to the upper frame 16AB via a headrest frame 22.

A plurality of seat springs 24 are provided inside the seat back frame 16A. In fig. 1, only one seat back frame 16A is shown for the convenience of viewing the inside of the seat back frame. The seat spring 24 is made of a metal spring wire material, for example, and extends in the seat width direction, meanders in the seat up-down direction, supports a cushioning member, not shown, and provides elasticity to the seat front surface 16B of the seat back 16.

A seat belt 52 (see fig. 3) is attached to the vehicle body in the vicinity of the vehicle seat 12. A mechanism for the occupant P to wear the seat belt 52 is well known, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted. In the worn state of the seat belt 52, a portion between the tongue of the seat belt 52 and a shoulder anchor (both not shown) restrains the upper body half of the occupant P, and a portion between the tongue of the seat belt 52 and a fixing member (not shown) is a lap belt 52A that restrains the waist L of the occupant P.

(lumbar support mechanism)

A lumbar support mechanism 26 as a pressing device is provided at a predetermined height position in the seat back frame 16A and even the interior of the seat back 16. The lumbar support mechanism 26 includes a lumbar rod 28, a lumbar plate 30 as a pressing portion, a first lumbar mechanism 32 (see fig. 2), and a second lumbar mechanism 34 (see fig. 2). In fig. 1, the first lumbar mechanism 32 and the second lumbar mechanism 34 are not shown for the sake of easy understanding of the relationship between the lumbar rod 28 and the side frame 16 AA. The lumbar rod 28 is formed into a cylindrical shape having a substantially seat width direction as a longitudinal direction, and seat width

direction end portions

28A and 28B (see fig. 2) are inserted through a pair of left and right through holes 38 (see fig. 2) formed in the side frame 16AA of the seat back frame 16A and penetrating in the seat width direction, respectively. The

end portions

28A and 28B are inserted so as to protrude outward in the seat width direction from the side frames 16 AA. The "predetermined height position" at which the lumbar support mechanism 26 is disposed in the seatback 16 is, for example, a position at which an upper portion of the pelvis PS in the lumbar region L of the occupant P is pressed when the lumbar plate 30 of the lumbar support mechanism 26 moves toward the seat front side (see fig. 3).

As shown in fig. 2, a bent portion 28C bent so as to protrude toward the seat front side is formed at a substantially center portion in the seat width direction of the lumbar rod 28 in a vehicle plan view. The waist plate 30 is attached to the bent portion 28C of the waist bar 28 so as to be rotatable with the extending direction of the waist bar 28 as the axial direction. The lumbar plate 30 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape having the seat width direction as the longitudinal direction and the seat front-rear direction as the thickness direction in a front view of the seat (see fig. 1), and is relatively rotatable with respect to the lumbar rod 28 so that the thickness direction of the lumbar plate 30 becomes substantially constant in the seat front-rear direction even when the lumbar rod 28 is rotated (see fig. 3).

The first lumbar mechanism 32 is provided, for example, at a position corresponding to the through hole 38 in the outer side surface of the vehicle width direction inner side frame 16AA, and includes a brake and a stopper (both not shown). The end 28A of the lumbar rod 28 protruding from the through hole 38 is inserted into the first lumbar mechanism 32, and the rotation of the lumbar rod 28 can be restricted by a stopper and a stopper. Therefore, the position of the lumbar plate 30 can be moved by rotating the lumbar rod 28 by an operation member (not shown) and maintained by the brake, so that the position at which the lumbar plate 30 can properly support the lumbar region L (see fig. 3) of the occupant P can be maintained. That is, the lumbar support mechanism 26 can appropriately support the lumbar region L of the occupant P from the seat rear side at the time of normal (use). When the bent portion 28C of the lumbar rod 28 is rotated toward the seat upper side, the stopper restricts the rotation of the lumbar rod 28 so as to prevent the lumbar rod 28 from rotating toward the seat upper side in the substantially horizontal direction (see the solid line in fig. 3).

A flange member 40 is attached to a portion of the lumbar rod 28 corresponding to the seat width direction inner side of the side frame 16AA where the first lumbar mechanism 32 is provided. The flange member 40 has a larger diameter than the through hole 38, and thus suppresses displacement of the lumbar rod 28 inward in the seat width direction.

The second lumbar mechanism 34 is provided at a position corresponding to the through hole 38 on the outer side of the vehicle width direction outer side frame 16AA, and includes an inflator 42, a rack gear 44, a gear pipe 46, a pinion gear 48, and a gear cover 50 (see fig. 2), as shown in fig. 3. The inflator 42 is formed in an elongated cylindrical shape having a substantially vertical seat direction as a longitudinal direction, and is provided on a seat upper side in a hollow gear pipe 46 fixed to the side frame 16AA by a bracket, not shown. A plurality of gas ejection holes, not shown, are formed in the lower end of the inflator 42. In addition, when the inflator 42 is filled with a gas generating agent, for example, the gas generating agent is burned to generate a large amount of gas and the gas is discharged from the gas discharge holes.

The rack gear 44 is made of resin, is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape having a slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of the inside of the gear tube 46, is inserted into the gear tube 46 toward the vehicle lower side (see the two-dot chain line in the figure), and is formed with a gear on the seat front side. Therefore, when the inflator 42 generates gas, the rack gear 44 in the gear pipe 46 is instantaneously pressed out toward the seat lower side by the pressure of the gas.

The pinion gear 48 is made of resin and attached to an end 28B (see fig. 2) of the lumbar rod 28 that protrudes outward in the seat width direction from the through hole 38, and the lumbar rod 28 is rotated by rotating the pinion gear 48. The gear formed on the outer peripheral surface of the pinion gear 48 is fitted into the rack gear 44 that moves toward the seat lower side by receiving the pressure of the gas from the inflator 42. Therefore, when the pinion gear 48 rotates due to the rack gear 44 moving to the seat lower side, the lumbar rod 28 rotates clockwise in fig. 3. Thereby, the lumbar plate 30 moves to the seat front side, and presses the lumbar portion L of the occupant P seated in the vehicle seat 12 toward the seat front side via a cushion member and a seat skin, not shown, provided on the seat front side in the seat back 16.

As shown in fig. 2, the gear cover 50 is provided so as to cover the pinion gear 48, the gear pipe 46, and the like from the seat width direction outer side. This suppresses interference between the pinion gear 48 and the rack gear 44 moving from the gear tube 46 and other members such as a buffer member not shown.

As shown in FIG. 3, the operation of the lumbar support mechanism 26 described above is controlled by a controller 54. A front airbag sensor 56 is connected to an input side of the controller 54, as an example. The front airbag sensor 56 is disposed in a front side member, not shown, and mainly detects a frontal collision such as a full overlap collision or an offset collision. On the other hand, the inflator 42 of the lumbar support mechanism 26 is connected to the output side of the controller 54.

(action and Effect of the first embodiment)

Next, the operation and effect of the first embodiment will be described.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 3, the vehicle seat structure 10 includes a lumbar support mechanism 26 in the vehicle seat 12. The lumbar support mechanism 26 is provided at a predetermined height position in the interior of the seat back 16 (refer to fig. 1). Then, the lumbar plate 30 of the lumbar support mechanism 26 presses a part of the seat front surface 16B of the seat back 16, that is, a part of the receiving surface of the lumbar region L of the occupant P, toward the seat front side at the time of a forward movement collision (at the time of a frontal vehicle collision in the present embodiment). That is, the lumbar plate 30 can press the upper portion of the lumbar L of the occupant P toward the seat front side at the time of a forward movement collision, and therefore the pelvis PS of the occupant P can be tilted forward. Therefore, the lap belt 52A of the seatbelt 52 is less likely to come off the pelvis PS, and therefore, the occurrence of the slip-down phenomenon can be suppressed. This can effectively protect the occupant P during a frontal movement collision.

The lumbar plate 30 can press the seat front surface 16B of the seat back 16 toward the seat front side in a normal state. Therefore, the lumbar support mechanism 26 can support the lumbar L of the occupant P seated in the vehicle seat 12 in an appropriate seating posture through the lumbar plate 30 at the normal time. On the other hand, at the time of a forward movement collision, gas is supplied from the inflator 42 that is activated, whereby the lumbar plate 30 presses a part of the seat front surface 16B of the seat back 16 toward the seat front side. Therefore, the upper portion of the lumbar region L of the occupant P can be pressed toward the seat front side at the time of a forward movement collision, and therefore the pelvis PS of the occupant P can be tilted forward and the lap belt 52A of the seatbelt 52 can be made difficult to disengage from the pelvis PS. Therefore, the occurrence of the slip-down phenomenon can be suppressed. This enables the waist L of the occupant P to be appropriately supported at the normal time, and the occupant P to be effectively protected at the time of a frontal movement collision.

In the present embodiment, the rack gear 44 and the pinion gear 48 of the second lumbar mechanism 34 are made of resin and the pinion gear 48 is directly attached to the lumbar rod 28, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the rack gear 44 and the pinion gear 48 may be made of metal and a clutch mechanism that absorbs shock when the rack gear 44 and the pinion gear 48 come into contact may be provided between the pinion gear 48 and the lumbar rod 28.

In the present embodiment, the rack gear 44 receiving the pressure of the gas from the inflator 42 is fitted into the pinion gear 48, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a ball or other member receiving the pressure of the gas from the inflator 42 may be fitted into the pinion gear 48 to rotate the pinion gear 48.

(second embodiment)

Next, a vehicle seat structure according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to fig. 4. The same components as those in the first embodiment and the like are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

The basic structure of the vehicle seat structure 70 of the second embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment, and has a feature in that the lumbar plate 30 moves via the airbag 72.

(lumbar support mechanism)

That is, as shown in fig. 4, a lumbar support mechanism 74 as a pressing device is provided at a predetermined height position (refer to fig. 1) in the seat back frame 16A and even the interior of the seat back 16. The lumbar support mechanism 74 includes the lumbar rod 28, the lumbar plate 30, the first lumbar mechanism 32 (see fig. 2), and the second lumbar mechanism 76. The "predetermined height position" at which the lumbar support mechanism 74 is disposed in the seatback 16 is, for example, a position at which an upper portion of the pelvis PS in the lumbar region L of the occupant P is pressed when the lumbar plate 30 in the lumbar support mechanism 74 moves to the seat front side (see fig. 3).

The second lumbar mechanism 76 is provided between the pair of right and left seat back frames 16A, and includes a reaction plate 78, an inflator 42, and an airbag 72. The reaction plate 78 is formed in a top hat cross-sectional shape that extends so as to connect the seat rear portions 16C of the pair of left and right side frames 16AA in the seat width direction, respectively, and protrudes toward the seat front side in a seat side view.

The inflator 42 is formed in an elongated columnar shape having a longitudinal direction substantially in the seat up-down direction, and is attached to a substantially center of the reaction plate 78 in the seat up-down direction by a bracket not shown.

The airbag 72 is fixed to a reaction plate 78 (see the two-dot chain line in fig. 4) in a state of being folded and accommodating the inflator 42 therein. Since the airbag 72 is disposed on the seat rear side of the lumbar plate 30, when the inflator 42 generates gas, the airbag 72 inflated and deployed as shown by an arrow in the figure presses the bent portion 28C of the lumbar rod 28 and rotates toward the seat front side with the extending direction of the lumbar rod 28 as the axial direction (see a solid line in fig. 4). Thereby, the lumbar plate 30 moves toward the seat front side, and presses the lumbar L (see fig. 3) of the occupant P seated in the vehicle seat 12 toward the seat front side via a cushion member and a seat skin, not shown, provided on the seat front side in the seat back 16.

(action and Effect of the second embodiment)

Next, the operation and effect of the second embodiment will be described.

With the above configuration, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained because the vehicle seat structure 10 of the first embodiment is configured in the same manner except that the lumbar plate 30 moves via the airbag 72. The lumbar plate 30 of the lumbar support mechanism 74 can press the seat front surface 16B of the seat back 16 toward the seat front side in the normal state. Therefore, the lumbar support mechanism 74 can support the lumbar L of the occupant P seated in the vehicle seat 12 in an appropriate seating posture through the lumbar plate 30 at the normal time. On the other hand, at the time of a forward movement collision, the lumbar plate 30 presses a part of the seat front surface 16B of the seat back 16 toward the seat front side via the airbag 72 that is inflated and expanded in the seat back 16 by gas supplied from the inflator 42 that operates at the time of the forward movement collision. Therefore, the upper portion of the waist portion L of the occupant P can be pressed toward the seat front side at the time of a forward movement collision, so that the pelvis PS of the occupant P can be tilted forward and the lap belt 52A of the seatbelt 52 can be made less likely to come off from the pelvis PS. Therefore, the occurrence of the slip-down phenomenon can be suppressed. This enables the waist L of the occupant P to be appropriately supported at the normal time, and the occupant P to be effectively protected at the time of a frontal movement collision.

(third embodiment)

Next, a vehicle seat structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig. 5. The same components as those in the first embodiment and the like are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

The vehicle seat structure 90 of the third embodiment has a feature in that the airbag device 92 presses the waist L of the occupant P, in the same manner as in the first embodiment and the like.

(airbag device)

That is, as shown in fig. 5, an airbag device 92 as a pressing device is provided at a predetermined height position (refer to fig. 1) in the seat back frame 16A and even the interior of the seat back 16. The airbag device 92 is provided between the pair of right and left seat back frames 16A, and includes a reaction plate 78, an inflator 42, and an airbag 94 as a pressing portion. The "predetermined height position" at which the airbag device 92 is disposed in the seatback 16 is, for example, a position at which the airbag 94 presses an upper portion of the pelvis PS in the lumbar region L of the occupant P when the airbag 94 in the airbag device 92 inflates and deploys.

The airbag 94 is fixed to the reaction plate 78 in a state of being folded and accommodating the inflator 42 therein (see the two-dot chain line in the figure). Since the airbag 94 is positioned on the seat rear side of the seat spring 24, when the inflator 42 generates gas, the inflated and deployed airbag 94 presses the waist portion L of the occupant P seated in the vehicle seat 12 toward the seat front side via the seat spring 24, a cushion member, not shown, provided on the seat front side in the seat back 16, and a seat skin.

(action and Effect of the third embodiment)

Next, the operation and effect of the third embodiment will be described.

According to the above configuration, the vehicle seat structure 10 according to the first embodiment is configured in the same manner except that the waist portion L of the occupant P is pressed by the airbag device 92, and therefore the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. The airbag 94 is inflated and deployed in the seat back 16 by gas supplied from the inflator 42 that operates during a frontal movement collision. Thereby, the airbag 94 presses a part of the seat front surface 16B of the seat back 16 toward the seat front side. Therefore, the upper portion of the waist portion L of the occupant P can be pressed toward the seat front side at the time of a forward movement collision, and therefore the pelvis PS of the occupant P can be tilted forward to make it difficult for the lap belt 52A of the seatbelt 52 to come off from the pelvis PS, and occurrence of a slip-down phenomenon can be suppressed. This makes it possible to effectively protect the occupant P during a frontal movement collision with a simple configuration.

(fourth embodiment)

Next, a vehicle seat structure according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig. 6 to 9. The same components as those in the first embodiment and the like are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

The basic configuration of the vehicle seat structure 100 according to the fourth embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment and the like, and is characterized in that the airbag 102 is exposed from the seatback 16 during inflation and deployment.

(airbag device)

That is, as shown in fig. 6, an airbag device 104 as a pressing device is provided at a predetermined height position (refer to fig. 1) in the seat back frame 16A and even the inside of the seat back 16. The airbag device 104 is provided between the pair of right and left seat back frames 16A, and includes the reaction plate 78, the inflator 42, and the airbag 102 as a pressing portion. The "predetermined height position" at which the airbag device 104 is disposed in the seatback 16 is, for example, a position at which the airbag 102 presses an upper portion of the pelvis PS (see fig. 5) in the lumbar region L of the occupant P when the airbag 102 in the airbag device 104 is inflated and deployed.

The balloon 102 has a first balloon 102A and a second balloon 102B. The first bag 102A is fixed to the reaction plate 78 in a folded state in which the inflator 42 is housed therein (see the two-dot chain line in the figure). The first airbag 102A is located on the seat rear side of the seat spring 24.

As shown in fig. 7, the second airbag 102B is provided on the seat front side of the seat spring 24, and communicates with the first airbag 102A through the gas conduit portion 106. That is, the first airbag 102A and the second airbag 102B are disposed opposite to each other with the seat spring 24 interposed therebetween, and gas is supplied from the inflator 42 to each of the first airbag 102A and the second airbag 102B during inflation and deployment.

As shown in fig. 8, an airbag housing structure 108 is provided in a portion of the seat back 16 corresponding to the airbag device 104. The airbag housing structure 108 includes a housing portion pad 110, a first interlining 112, a second interlining 114, and a rupture portion 116. The storage portion pad 110 constitutes a part of the cushion member 120 of the seatback 16, and is disposed on the seat front side of the airbag device 104. The storage portion pad 110 has an airbag storage portion 110A that is concave toward the seat front side formed on the seat rear side surface, and stores the second airbag 102B in a folded state therein. Further, a crack starting point portion 110B is formed at a substantially center in the seat up-down direction in the airbag housing portion 110A of the housing portion pad 110. The crack starting point 110B is provided at substantially the same position as the fracture portion 116 in the seat up-down direction, and is concave toward the seat front side. In other words, the thickness of the storage portion pad 110 in the seat front-rear direction in a seat side view is set to be thinner at a portion corresponding to the crack starting point portion 110B than at other portions. Therefore, the storage portion pad 110 can be ruptured from the rupture origin 110B upon receiving the inflation and deployment pressure from the first airbag 102A during inflation and deployment.

The breaking portion 116 is provided at the seat front side at substantially the center of the storage portion pad 110 in the seat up-down direction. The breaking portion 116 is formed by sewing one seat cover 118 and the other seat cover 118, which are divided in the seat up and down direction. Further, a sewn portion housing portion 110C that is concave toward the seat rear side is formed in a portion of the housing portion pad 110 corresponding to the breaking portion 116. The seat skin 118 sewn at the breaking portion 116 is housed in the sewn portion housing portion 110C.

The first interlining 112 and the second interlining 114, which are less stretchable than the seat cover 118, are also sewn to the breaking portion 116. The first interlining 112 is sewn together with the seat front side end 112A to the break portion 116, and the seat rear side end 112B is attached to the seat upper side edge portion 78A of the reaction plate 78 via the fixing metal 117. The first interlining 112 extends from the end 112A toward the reaction plate 78 along the seat front surface and the seat upper side surface of the storage portion mat 110.

On the other hand, the second interlining 114 is sewn together with the seat front side end portion 114A to the break portion 116, and the seat rear side end portion 114B is attached to the seat lower side edge portion 78B of the reaction plate 78 via the anchor 117. The second interlining 114 extends from the end 114A toward the reaction plate 78 along the seat front surface and the seat lower side surface of the storage portion mat 110. As shown in fig. 9, the second padding cloth 114 is provided with a plurality of portions 114C having a seat width direction dimension set smaller than the seat width direction dimension in the plurality of meandering portions 24A of the seat spring 24 at a portion on the seat rear side of the seat spring 24, and the portions 114C are inserted into the meandering portions 24A. Thereby, the second interlining 114 avoids obstructing the movement of the seat spring 24.

(action and Effect of the fourth embodiment)

Next, the operation and effect of the fourth embodiment will be described.

According to the above configuration, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained because the configuration is the same as that of the vehicle seat structure 10 of the first embodiment except that the airbag 102 is exposed from the seatback 16 during inflation and deployment. Further, a breaking portion 116 is provided in a seat front surface of the seat back 16 at a portion corresponding to the airbag device 104 provided at a predetermined height position. The fracture 116 is fractured by being pressed by the airbag 102 during inflation and deployment. Further, since the airbag 102 bulges out toward the seat front side of the seatback 16 from the rupture portion 116 at the time of inflation and deployment, the inflated and deployed airbag 102 directly presses the upper portion of the lumbar region L of the occupant P toward the seat front side. That is, the airbag 102 directly presses the lumbar region L of the occupant P without passing through the seat front surface 16B of the seat back 16, and therefore the displacement amount (stroke amount) when pressing the lumbar region L can be increased. Therefore, the amount of movement of the lumbar portion L of the occupant P during pressing can be increased, and therefore the pelvis PS of the occupant P seated in a comfortable state, in which the seat back 16 of the vehicle seat 12 is largely reclined (a state in which the occupant is largely tilted by a predetermined angle or more toward the seat rear side, in the present embodiment, the predetermined angle is 36 ° away from the vertical direction, that is, the predetermined angle is, for example, a state in which the seat back 16 is tilted by 21 ° toward the seat rear side from the vertical direction), can be returned to a state close to the driving posture (in the present embodiment, a state in which the occupant P is tilted by 21 ° toward the seat rear side from the vertical direction, for example). That is, the pelvis PS of the comfortable occupant P is moved in the forward tilting direction, and the lap belt 52A of the seatbelt 52 is less likely to be detached from the pelvis, whereby the occurrence of the slip-down phenomenon can be suppressed. This makes it possible to effectively protect an occupant seated in a vehicle seat in a comfortable state during a forward movement collision.

In addition, the airbag 102 has a first airbag 102A and a second airbag 102B. The first airbag 102A is provided on the seat rear side of the seat spring 24 provided in the seat back 16. On the other hand, the second airbag 102B is disposed on the seat front side of the seat spring 24. Therefore, the second airbag 102B inflates and deploys in a state displaced toward the seat front side via the seat spring 24 by the inflation and deployment of the first airbag 102A, and therefore the displacement amount when pressing the upper portion of the lumbar region L of the occupant P can be further increased. Therefore, the amount of movement of the waist L of the occupant P during pressing can be further increased, and therefore the pelvis PS of the occupant P seated in a comfortable state can be returned to a state closer to the driving posture. That is, the pelvis PS of the comfortable occupant P is moved largely in the forward tilting direction, and the lap belt 52A of the seatbelt 52 is less likely to be detached from the pelvis PS, thereby suppressing the occurrence of the slip-down phenomenon. This makes it possible to protect the occupant P seated in the vehicle seat 12 in a comfortable state more effectively during a forward movement collision.

As shown in fig. 8, the end 112A of the first interlining 112 and the end 114A of the second interlining 114 are sewn together to the breaking portion 116. Here, when the first airbag 102A and the second airbag 102B are inflated and deployed, the first gusset 112 receives inflation and deployment pressure toward the seat upper side from the first airbag 102A and the second airbag 102B. The second lining cloth 114 also receives inflation and deployment pressure toward the vehicle lower side from the first airbag 102A and the second airbag 102B. That is, in the breaking portion 116, the first interlining 112 can exert a tension toward the seat upper side, and the second interlining 114 can exert a tension toward the vehicle lower side. This allows the rupture portion 116 to rupture at an earlier timing, and the second airbag 102B to be exposed from the seat back 16.

In the present embodiment, the first airbag 102A and the second airbag 102B are provided to face each other with the seat spring 24 interposed therebetween, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be provided to face each other with the lumbar plate 30 of the

lumbar support mechanism

26, 74 interposed therebetween. In this case, the first interlining 112 and the second interlining 114 are made loose in the seat front-rear direction to allow movement of the lumbar plate 30, so that the lumbar L of the occupant P seated in the vehicle seat 12 can be supported in an appropriate seating posture by the lumbar plate 30 at normal times. In addition, by inflating and deploying the first airbag 102A and the second airbag 102B at the time of a forward movement collision, the pelvis PS of the occupant P can be moved largely in the forward tilting direction.

In the first to fourth embodiments, the seat front side of the vehicle seat 12 substantially coincides with the vehicle front side, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the seat front side may be directed in a direction other than the vehicle front side in an autonomous vehicle or the like. In this case, the "time of forward movement collision" is a collision mode other than the time of a frontal collision (head-on collision), and is a collision mode in which an occupant seated in the vehicle seat 12 moves toward the seat front side at the time of a collision (for example, a rear-end collision in a case where the seat front side of the vehicle seat 12 substantially coincides with the vehicle rear side).

While the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications other than the above-described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat structure includes:

a vehicle seat having a seat cushion and a seat back; and

a lumbar support mechanism provided at a predetermined height position in an interior of the seat back and having a lumbar plate capable of supporting a lumbar region of an occupant seated in the vehicle seat by pressing a part of a seat front surface of the seat back toward a seat front side in a normal state,

the vehicle seat structure is configured such that the lumbar plate is attached so as to be rotatable with the seat width direction as an axial direction, and is rotated by supplying gas from an inflator that operates at the time of a vehicle collision in which an occupant seated in the vehicle seat moves toward the seat front side, so as to press a part of the seat front surface of the seat back further toward the seat front side than in a normal state, at a seat upper side than in the normal state.

2. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 1, wherein,

the lumbar support mechanism rotates the lumbar plate via a gear drive mechanism that is moved toward the seat lower side by gas supplied from an inflator that operates during the vehicle collision.

3. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 1, wherein,

the lumbar support mechanism rotates the lumbar plate via an airbag that is inflated and deployed in the seat back by gas supplied from an inflator that operates at the time of the vehicle collision.

4. A vehicle seat structure includes:

a vehicle seat having a seat cushion and a seat back; and

a pressing device that is provided at a predetermined height position in an interior of the seatback and that has a pressing portion that presses a part of a seat front surface of the seatback toward a seat front side when an occupant seated in the vehicle seat moves toward the seat front side in a vehicle collision,

the pressing device has an airbag that is inflated and deployed in the seat back by being supplied with gas from an inflator that operates at the time of the vehicle collision,

a portion of the seat back, which corresponds to the pressing device in a height position on the seat front surface, is provided with a breaking portion that is broken by being pressed by the airbag at the time of inflation and deployment,

the airbag, when inflated and deployed, bulges out toward the seat front side of the seat back from the rupture portion and directly presses the waist of the occupant seated in the vehicle seat.

5. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 4, wherein,

the airbag is configured such that a first airbag provided on a seat rear side of a seat spring provided in the seat back and extending in a seat width direction and a second airbag provided on a seat front side of the seat spring are disposed to face each other substantially in a seat front-rear direction before inflation and deployment.